Bartlett's Anthias Care Guide
Pseudanthias bartlettorum is a western Pacific reef anthias that lives in large harem schools over current-swept reef faces and feeds on zooplankton.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Pseudanthias bartlettorum is a reef anthias whose upper head and body are bright yellow while the rest of the body is lavender, with a dark-orange band running from the snout to below the eye. Males have a thickened, slightly pointed upper lip. It is among the hardier anthias and a common choice as a first anthias. The species is also referenced under the name Nemanthias bartlettorum.
Taxonomy
- Family: Serranidae
- Genus: Pseudanthias
- Scientific name: Pseudanthias bartlettorum
- Common synonyms: Nemanthias bartlettorum
Habitat
The species lives in the western Pacific, recorded from Palau, Kosrae, Kwajalein, Nauru, Tabuaeran and Tonga. It occurs in areas of strong current such as reef faces, slopes, drop-off zones and channels, down to about 30 m, forming large schools of a few males with several dozen females and juveniles.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 200 L
- Temperature: 24-27 °C (75-81 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Salinity: SG 1.024-1.026
- Carbonate hardness: 8-12 dKH
- School size: 5 or more individuals
- Lifespan: 3-7 years
Diet
In the wild Pseudanthias bartlettorum feeds on zooplankton in the water column. Because it is a continuous planktivore, captive specimens need several small feedings each day of meaty marine foods to maintain condition.
Compatibility
The fish is peaceful and reef-safe and lives in harem groups, so it is kept as a single male with multiple females. It mixes well with clownfish, tangs, wrasses and chromis, but mixing it with other anthias species or aggressive fish should be avoided.
Breeding
Like other anthias the species forms harems with sex change between females and males. Captive breeding is rarely accomplished.
Bartlett's Anthias (Pseudanthias bartlettorum) Breeding Guide
Overview
Pseudanthias bartlettorum is a small reef anthias of the western Pacific, recorded from Palau, the Caroline and Marshall Islands, Nauru, Kiribati and Tonga, reaching about 9 cm and living down to 30 m in current-swept reef faces and drop-offs. It forms large schools of a few males and many females, but there is no documented method for breeding it in a home aquarium.
Social Structure and Reproduction
The species lives in large schools consisting of a few males and several dozen females and juveniles, and shows subtle sexual dimorphism: males have a thickened, slightly pointed upper lip that can be moved, while females have a terminal mouth. Wikipedia provides no information on spawning behaviour, sex change or captive breeding, so reproductive detail beyond this haremic structure is not described.
Why It Is Not Home-Bred
Anthias of the genus Pseudanthias are planktivores that feed on zooplankton and, like most reef serranids in this group, spawn by releasing eggs and sperm into the water column, producing minute pelagic larvae. Rearing such larvae demands specialised hatchery systems and continuous live-food cultures that cannot be reproduced in a home aquarium, and no hobby-scale breeding of this species is documented.
Aquarium Husbandry Notes
Rather than a breeding project, the species is kept as a schooling display fish in a spacious reef. It needs strong water flow reflecting the current-swept reef faces, slopes and channels it inhabits, and it feeds on zooplankton, so multiple daily feedings of small foods are required to keep it in condition. A larger group with only one or few males reduces social conflict.